Transfers - how to survive and enjoy it

A long transfer and sleep at the airport may not be a nightmare, but a dream
come true. Do you know how to arrange a trip for free during a Singapore
layover or a futuristic sleeping accommodation? Get tips how to see your
transfer flights as new opportunities.

Explore the possibilities of the airport

Airports in San Francisco, Amsterdam and Paris have their own museum.
Texas Austin remains faithful to his bohemian spirit and holds concerts
for free at the airport. Enjoy the transfer in Munich by visiting the
mini-brewery and in Tokyo the café with the planetarium. International
airports are coming up with new ways how to make the layovers more
enjoyable. The airport in Singapore offers not only lounges, games,
cinemas and other activities, but also a relaxing garden with live
butterflies.

Take a trip during a transfer

Many airports offer the opportunity to take a sightseeing tour to
explore the local monuments. But so far only 8 airports offer city tours
within the free transfer. These include, for example, Singapore,
Amsterdam, Salt Lake City, Doha or Seoul.

Discover the benefits of a transit visa

Transit visa is associated with trips with a long layover. It is
a short-stay visa, which serves precisely in case when you have to land
on your way in a country with which the your country has no visa-free
regime. You must have a transit visa in such countries, even if you do
not step out of the airport or leave the passport control area. The
transit visa may be valid for 8 hours as well as 48 hours. Take
advantage of this and plan an extra stop on the way. In 24 or 48 hours,
you can explore enough, for example, from Hong Kong.

istockphoto.com

istockphoto.com

Ask for a friend for transfer

Are you flying with KLM, transiting in Amsterdam and you have an iPhone?
Then you are entitled to a transfer friend. Under the Layover with
a Local program, a volunteer will take you for a tour of the city to
meet your interests. As an ice-breaker he invites you to a drink paid by
KLM. Icelandair offers their employees for a friend during a layover in
Reykjavik. Among their volunteers were pilots, even the executive
director of the company. A suitable partner was selected according to
your interests. The programme is not available at the moment, but rather
check the page Stopover Buddy program when traveling with Icelandair.

Relax in the comfort of the lounge

Even though you have an economy ticket, you can indulge in the
convenience and service of airport lounges. Entrance to the lounges can
be paid either by ordering a full-day pass or cash upon arrival. With
a long and night transfers, it pays off. Also, the right payment card,
such as Visa Infinite or MasterCard Black, can get you in. Just show
them and you get inside for free. The advantage of such an entry is that
you do not have to restrict yourself to the airline lounge with which
you fly. Just choose the better one.

Connect to the airport wi-fi

The right to free wi-fi should be incorporated into the Constitution. If
you also need internet to survive and you do not want to waste your
mobile data, connect to the free wi-fi at the airport. The list of
passwords at the most frequented airports is regularly updated, for
example, in a practical map the
WiFox
mobile application.

Enjoy the layover comfortably and securely

You find out about the overnight layover while booking the tickets. Get
ready as cafefully as possible. Have ready several layers of comfortable
clothing that you can put to be on the safe side, the hood helps shade
the light. Some backpackers even carry their own hammocks, which hang up
at the airport for the night. Even though the dark deserted corner of
the airport seems ideal for sleeping, set up a camp in a visible place
instead. Ideally, find a place near the airport security location.

Use to the sleeping pods

More and more airports place their automated sleeping pods in their
premises, which provide a soundproof and comfortable bed. Some are in
the form of a hypermodern deckchair or cocoon, others are booths with
a private bed room and a seating area. Cabins are an ideal alternative
to airport hotels. Ask for them immediately when the airline cancels the
flight or the aircraft has a long delay. As soon as the plane has been
delayed for more than three hours, you are also likely to be entitled
for financial compensation.

Ask the pilot

What happens when a tyre burst on an airplane? Is it true that the plane
sails when landing? Patrick Smith worked as a pilot for many years, and
answers the inquisitive questions on his AskThePilot.com blog. The best
of the blog has been included in the book of the same name. There is no
better book to pack with you. Of course, you can take any book, but do
not forget this one. It will last noticeably more hours than a light in
the mobile phone or your laptop.